Weekly e-Update from Poway High School for November 18, 2009
The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love for hate, to include the excluded, and to say, I was wrong.  -- Sydney J. Harris, British-born American journalist (1917-1986)
November 23 – 27                    No School – Thanksgiving
December 1                             Grades Carried Home
December 7                             Late Start Monday (9:10)
December 8                             Choir Winter Concert
December 14                           Jazz Concert
December 16                           Orchestra Concert
December 17                           Band Concert
December 18                           Winter Concert
December 21 – January 1        No School – Winter Break
January 4                                 Late Start Monday (9:10)
January 13 – 15                        Finals
January 15                               End of First Semester
January 18                               No School – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 19                               First Day of Second Semester
February                                  Grades Mailed Home
February 1                               Late Start Monday (9:10)
February 5-6                            Musical – “Once Upon a Mattress”
February 11-13                         Musical – “Once Upon a Mattress”
February 15-19                         No School – Presidents Week
February 22                             Late Start Monday (9:10)
March 5                                    End of 6 Week Grading Period
March 15-17                             CAHSEE Testing
March 16                                  Grades Carried Home
March 22                                  Late Start Monday (9:10)
March 29                                  Spring Spirit Week
April 5-9                                   No School – Spring Break
                                               
School District Calendar:  http://www.powayusd.com/calendars/2009-10calendar.shtml

Canned Food Drive
The Star Club is hosting a Canned Food Drive for the San Diego Food Bank.  Please have your student take canned goods and other non-perishable goods to their fourth period class.  The winning 4th period class will win a pizza party!  The Canned Food Drive ends Friday, November 20.

Big Savings On Buick Open Golf Tickets !!!!
Tickets are on sale in the PHS Student Store for the Buick Open Golf Tournament @ Torrey Pines January 25 through the 31st, 2010.  Tickets are $17 plus with each ticket you get a free $10 cash card to spend at Golfsmith Golf retail store.  Each ticket is good for one day admission on ANY DAY!   Please contact Diann Edens @ 858-748-0245 ext.5140 and set up a convenient time to come in and purchase your tickets and support PHS.  These would make great Holiday gifts.

Attention Fall Athletes:
If you applied for an Athletic Exemption from PE, remember in order to receive credit you must pick up your exemption form from the registrar, Ms. Merrifield and have it signed and dated by your coach at the end of your season/sport. Failure to turn in the completed form to the registrar prior to the last day of the semester will result in no credit.”

Math Lab is now open
Peer tutors will be available in the Titan Center from 2:30-3:30 Monday-Friday to assist students who may need help with their math class. Tutors will be available to help with homework, prepare for upcoming tests, and assist students with developing study strategies to become more successful students. Students are encouraged to drop in.
                                                      
Attendance:
An exemplary attendance record is extremely important at Poway High.   Absences must be cleared within 24 hours. Please call the absence hotline: 748-7016 and follow the instructions.  If your child needs to leave campus during the day, please call 748-0245 X5113 before 7:00 am.  You may refer to PHS’s student handbook for other important attendance information.

Poway High Preschool:
Poway High Preschool is currently registering children for preschool. We have openings for children 3 and 4 years old, 5 days a week, full day or part day. Children learn social skills and build skills to get ready for kindergarten. For information or to register please call (858) 748-0010 extension 2722.

IS YOUR STUDENT’S EMERGENCY AND CONTACT INFORMATION CORRECT?
Updating information to your student’s record is now done on-line for your convenience. 
Login to https://onlinereg.powayusd.com/ParentLogin/ParentLogin.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fapp%2fDefault.aspx

Friends of Poway High Foundation:
The Friends of Poway High Foundation has been working the past few years raising money to support access to technology and funding for programs that help students stay connected and be successful.  Over the past three years the foundation has raised money and funded the following items:

• LCD Projectors and computers for classrooms
• Maintenance and support for printers
• PLATO credit recovery software for students who need to make up credits
• Partial funding for the new dance floor for the Poway High Dance Team
• Funding the continuation of our Student Services Program
• Funded the purchase of 25 new docucams or digital overheads that can be used to project flat and three-dimensional objects on a screen via an LCD projector in real time. (ask your student(s) about them!!)
• Most recently funded the purchase of a dozen LCD projector replacement bulbs (at $500 each!!) to help teachers who have been without a working LCD projector.  Also we have approved the purchase of a new computer printer for the counseling department, and for a repair fund to be created to fix the all staff network printer when it periodically breaks down during the school year.

The foundation is made up of parents, students, teachers, administrators and alumni all focused on helping make Poway a better place for students. One of the major areas of focus for the Foundation is the Titan Digital Oasis. The Titan Oasis is a technology center where students, parents and school faculty can create, learn and print anything they imagine. Inside the Oasis is state of the art computing and printing equipment where people can create personalized gifts for friends, classmates, and family while teachers can create and print their own classroom materials and projects.  All proceeds go to Poway High School and are distributed through the Friends of Poway Foundation.  For more information about the Titan Digital Oasis or the Friends of Poway Foundation, please visit the websites www.myschooloasis.com/phs/ or www.friendsofphs.org

The Friends of Poway Foundation is participating in several fundraisers at the El Ranchito Taco Shops in Poway located at 13654 Poway Rd. and 14149 Twin Peaks Rd.  El Ranchito Taco Shop will donate 20% of sales generated from 7am to 9pm on all late start Staff Development Mondays this school year (12/7, 1/4, 2/1, 2/22, 3/22, 4/12 & 5/17) to the Friends of Poway High Foundation.  Please stop by for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or all three to help support Poway High School.  Please visit www.friendsofphs.org to print out a flyer and bring it with you to give to the cashier so that we get credit and thank you for supporting the Friends of Poway High Foundation.

We will also be having a fundraiser at Round Table Pizza located at 13510 Poway Road, in Poway, and 16761 Bernardo Center Drive, in Rancho Bernardo, on Wednesday November 18th from 11am-8pm.  Please visit www.friendsofphs.org to print out a flyer and bring it with you to give to the cashier so that we get credit and thank you for supporting the Friends of Poway High Foundation.

On Wednesday December 16th, we will be having a fundraiser at Panda Express from 11:30am-8:00pm, located at 13624 Poway Rd # 110 Poway, CA 92064-4780 (858) 679-9498.  It will also be held at a second location at 11986 Bernardo Plaza Dr. San Diego, CA 92128-2538 (858) 451-5769 in Rancho Bernardo.  The Panda Express is located inside of the Vons grocery store.  Please make sure to print a flyer from our website at www.friendsofphs.org and we hope to see you there supporting the Friends of Poway Foundation.

Please remember to think of us as you make those end of the year tax donations before the tax season begins.  Visit www.friendsofphs.org to make your tax deductable donation and help to continue the funding of technology and school programs that directly benefit the students of Poway high School.

Athletics:  http://www.powayusd.com/pusdphs/ATHLETICS/

The Athletic Handbook and ALL of the forms required to get your Ticket to Play are now available at the link above.  You are now responsible for printing out the forms for yourself.

 

Counseling:
College Visits – the following college visits will take place in the Titan Center (K-16), unless specified otherwise:

• November 19th

• Northrup Grumman (internship opportunity) – 11:40

• December 1st

• US Air Force Academy – 9:30

* Visits are currently being added daily, so log into your Naviance - Family Connection account for an up-to-date list and to sign up to listen to a presentation.
SAT/SAT Subject Tests – The deadline to register for the January 23rd SAT is December 15th. Visit collegeboard.com to register.
ACT – The deadline to register late for the December 12th ACT is November 20th.  Visit www.actstudent.org to register.
*Seniors:  if you plan to attend a 4 year college/university next year, this may be your last opportunity to take the ACT/SAT.  See your counselor if you have questions.
UC/CSU Application Deadline – The deadline to register for Fall 2010 admissions to a UC or a CSU is Monday, November 30th. To apply for a UC campus, go to https://admissions.ucop.edu/pathwaysF2008/Pathways. To apply for a CSU campus, go to www.csumentor.edu.  Application tutorials are located on your Naviance home page.
Class Rank on Transcript - In support of your son/daughter’s college and scholarship needs, you may request class rank be indicated on transcripts and letters of recommendation.  Please follow this brief process:

• Email our school registrar, Lynn Merrifield at lmerrifield@powayusd.com asking that your student’s class rank be added to their transcript.  Please remember that class ranking changes every semester.  You will need to request the rank be updated every semester.

Volunteer Opportunities – Looking for community service opportunities?  Visit our PHS website, click on “Student Services”, next on “Community Service Opportunities”.
CSS/Profile - Many seniors applying to private universities are asked to complete the CSS/PROFILE as a part of their application process. Colleges, universities, graduate and professional schools and scholarship programs use the information collected on the PROFILE to help them award private grant and scholarship funds. The information collected on the PROFILE helps colleges and programs award their funds fairly. If you are a student who is applying to a private institution and you’d like to read more about the CSS/PROFILE, visit the College Board website. Click here for a list of CSS/PROFILE participating schools.
End of grading period – November 13th marked the end of the 12 week grading period.  Students will receive progress reports on Tuesday, December 1st.  To access grade information for your student, log into www.learningpoint.org.

Financial Aid– On Thursday, January 7th from 6:30-8:30, Poway High will be hosting the annual financial aid night to help students and parents learn more about college funding options.   The event will be held in Poway Performing Arts Center.  A representative from Palomar will discuss grants, scholarships, loans, and work study programs and will introduce the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
Seniors may begin submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) beginning January 1st. Applying is free, and students can apply before they’ve been accepted to a school. You can apply electronically, using FAFSA on the Web, from your home computer or from a computer at a central location like your local public library. FAFSA on the Web can be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov, or you can access it at www.studentaid.ed.gov. Students and their parents will need a PIN to complete the electronic application. Click here to apply for a PIN today. To find out more information on funding your education, download the Funding Your Education document produced by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Student Services:
Food Donations Requested
The Student Services Office feeds hungry kids and we could use donations of Cup-of-Noodles, granola bars, and other healthy snacks.  Donations can be dropped off at the front office with Linda Severino.  

Due to budget cuts, Student Services is only open periods one and two.  If you need any help, please contact Traci Barker-Ball at ext. 5393 or tbarkerb@powayusd.com.
 
Community Service Opportunities:
http://www.powayusd.com/pusdphs/Studentservices/community_service_opportunities.htm is now up-to-date.  Here are some current opportunities for students.  

PTSA:
Next PTSA Meeting: Wed. December 9, at 8:30 am in room K-1.

Grad Nite Meeting:
Grad Nite 2010: monthly committee meeting on Tuesday, December 1 at 6:30 pm in the Library at PHS. All committee chairs should come with a brief report. Anyone interested in helping or chairing a committee is welcome to attend. We are still looking for committee chairs for Food, Security, Construction, Worker Food, and Prizes.

CONGRATULATIONS!  Catch the tide, Titan Pride!

This past weekend The PHS Emerald Brigade finished our competitive season by winning our circuit Championships.  We traveled to Corona CA and competed against roughly 30 bands from all over Southern California and Nevada.  The Emerald Brigade had two great performances Saturday, winning both Prelims and Finals.  Furthermore, the Emerald Brigade finished the year winning the last five competitions they competed at.

The panorama picture in the Admin Office, shot by senior Mark Edstrom with a Canon 5D Mark II, is a composite of 28 separate photographs.   Working in Photoshop CS4, Mark spent 30 hours stitching and blending various parts together to make the final image which is just less than one gigabyte in size.  He spent over eight hours working on color correction and printing.  The PHS Digital Oasis printed this final Portrait of Poway High School.

Know of a student who deserves recognition? Let me know at lseverino@powayusd.com

POWAY HIGH SCHOOL WEBSITE:
http://powayusd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/pusdphs/index.asp

This e-Update is informational only.  If you have specific questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.  Submissions may be provided to lseverino@powayusd.com and are subject to approval by school administration.

Linda Severino
Receptionist
Poway High School
858-748-0245

** TRUSTWORTHINESS  **  RESPECT  ** RESPONSIBILITY  **  FAIRNESS  **  CARING  **  CITIZENSHIP **